Improvement in hay-loaders



tended tant parte can.

Letters Patent No. 97,724, dated December 7 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAY-LOADERS.

` The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part Ofthesame To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W. H. STRAUB, of Danville,

' in the county of IMontour, and State of Pennsylvania,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hay- Loaders; and Idollereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the construction and operation of the saine, referencebeing had to the accompanying. drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure l is a side elevation, and

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section.

This invention consistsv First, inV making, in the inner sides of theinclined frame of the machine, longitudinal grooves, in which `the endsof the cross-bars, to which the rake-teeth are attached, run, and bywhich said cross-bars are prevented from turning down on their pivots,,under i the pressure of the load on the rake-teeth, until the barsemerge from said grooves at the proper point for relieving therake-teeth of their burdens.

Secondly, in providing the ends oii the cross-bars which slide in thelongitudinal grooves in the sides of the inclined frames,'witl1 metallicshoes, to keep said bars from wearing out, to reduce friction, and aidin preventing the tipping of the bars when the rake-teeth are loaded.

Thirdly, in providing the forward standards, whichv support the inclinedframe ofthe machine, with adv justable brackets, by which the heightofthe front end `of `the frame maybe regulated at pleasure, withincertain limits. This invention consists invarious improvements inmachines for taking hay from the field and loading it up d on v'therack, all hereinafter more fully described.

In thev drawings, A is the inclined frame, pivoted near its rear end,under the crank-axle B of the main t drivin -wheels B B said framesustainin the chains c a, which run over two pairs of wheels, a af, onepair at each end of the frame, and bear the cross-pieces l) b, whichcarry,v the rake-teeth.

The rake-teeth take up hay from the eld, and carry it upward along thelower side of the inclined frame, and drop it intothe rack, to the rearend of To effect such dropping, the cross-barsl are simply hinged to thechains a a, so thatI the weight the teeth. carry causes them to drop ontheir hinges the moment the ends of ,the cross-bars emerge from thegrooves d' el made longitudinally of the-inner side of the inclinedframe, along their-lower edges, which are of just suffiu cient width toreceive the crossbars, and permit them to slide easily, but not tip.

The extremities of the cross-bars are*l armed with metallic shoes e e,which prevent friction in the grooves, and Wear of the cross-bars,'andtend to keep the latter steady inv their motions.

The crank-axle B has slotted arms h, either rigidly or loosely'attached,whichA extend along the outer sides of the inclined frames. The frame,being hung to the axle, may-be raised or lowered thereon, as on a pivot,so as to disconnect the cog-gearing, on the main axle of thedrivingvheels, from the spur-wheels on the end of the shaft h whichsustains the lower wheels, on which the. endless chains are supported,and thus render the latter inoperative in going to and' fro, as wellaskeep the rake-teeth up out of harms way.

By means of set-screws and the slotted arms h, the frame may be fixed atthe required height.

The. standards lt lt, which support the upper front end of theframe,'have slotted brackets, It' 1J, on them,

which may be 4raised or lowered, and fixed by setscrews at a heighttosuit the hay-rack, in connection `with which` the loader is used.,

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters atent, is-

1. The pivoted cross-pieces b, grooves or track d, andshoes e, combinedand arrangedA substantially as and for the purpose described.

2.' The slotted adjustable bracket it', standard k, inclined frame A,and tongue C, combined and arranged substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

3. `The slotted arms h, combined with the crankaXle'B' and lframe A,Vinthe manner and to discharge the function set forth. 'l

W. H. ,STRAUB Vitnesses':

l GHA's. A. PETTIT,

Son-0N C. KEMoN.

